Sports
Cornhuskers warm up, fry Jayhawks
William Lauer/DN
Nebraska’s Laura Luther spikes the ball as her teammates look on during the Cornhuskers’
15-7,15-8,15-5 win over Kansas. Nebraska raised its record to 17-3,9-0 in the Big Eight, while
Kansas fell to 21-5 and 4-4.
By David Moyer
Staff Reporter
The Nebraska volleyball team
started as cold a$ the fall Nebraska
wind Tuesday night, but managed to
warm up and defeat the Kansas Jay
hawks 15-7, 15-8, 15-5 at the Bob
Devaney Sports Center.
“I thought we were a little bit flat
tonight,” Nebraska Coach Terry Pet
tit said. “I think travel (is a reason for
the slow start), we had a big match
this last weekend.”
Nebraska appeared sluggish at first,
falling behind 4-0 in the first set, but
soon righted itself, winning 10 of the
next 11 points before closing out the
game.
Stephanie Thatcr also felt the
Huskers didn’t come out mentally
strong early against Kansas after
winning a big road game against
Colorado last Saturday.
“We had the intention of coming
out after Colorado and play just as
hard as we did there,” Thatcr said.
“We found out we were a little flat at
the beginning, but after awhile we
played not quite up to our potential,
but we played better.”
Two reasons the Huskers were able
to turn things around were a strong
hitting attack led by Janet Kruse and
an improved serving performance.
Kruse led Nebraska with 21 kills,
including a .548 hitting percentage.
The kill total was four off the Husker
record for a three-set game of 25 set
by Eileen Shannon in 1989 against
Pittsburgh.
“She’s playing real well,” Pettit
said. “You can tell she’s playing with
a lot of confidence. ATI her move
ments are strong, very assertive.”
Kruse said Nebraska has been
working on getting her the ball at
practice, which helps to keep Thater
and Kim Tonniges in the middle where
they are strongest.
The Huskers also compiled 12
service aces on the evening, which
was also four off the record. Nebraska
had trouble in recent games with the
serve and Thater said the work they
have done in practice because of it
paid off against Kansas.
In the second game the Huskers
once again began to struggle. The two
teams traded points — Nebraska led
by Kruse, Kansas by Kris Klein
schmidt, who led the Jayhawks with
nine kills on the night.
After Kansas took an 8-6 lead, the
Huskers once again went on a hot
streak, warming up its frozen game.
Nebraska went on a nine-point run,
taking the lead for good at 9-8 after a
Klicnschmidl miss.
The Huskers continued their domi
nance in the third game, putting away
the Jayhawks early in the final set.
Kansas Coach Frankie Albitz said
See JAYHAWKS on 8
Missouri coach predicts
great NU-CU toss-up
By Chuck Green
Senior Editor
Missouri Coach Boh Stull wasn’t
sure w ho to pick to win the Colo
rado-Nebraska football game this
weekend, but he did know one thing
for sure.
“It’s going to be one great game,”
he said.
Stull has played Colorado and
Nebraska the past two weeks, los
ing to the Buffaloes 55-7 and
Nebraska 63-6.
“Those were two long after
noons,” Stull said. “We’ve got to
be able to compete against those
teams, but we’ve got to do a lot
better against them in the future.”
Stull said he thinks the team
I
that makes the fewest errors in the
game will be the winner.
“They both match up pretty well
with good offensive speed and strong
defenses,” he said. “I think I would
give the offensive edge to Nebraska,
but Colorado has a little stronger
defense.”
Missouri comcrback Jason Ol
iver agreed.
“Nebraska’s offense is just so
quick, and they’ve got so many
weapons,” Oliver said. “I can’t really
speak about the defenses because I
didn’t play against cither of them,
but there probably will be some
points pul up on the scoreboard.
“It will be a fun one to watch.”
See PREDICTIONS on 8
I Football game battle of brothers
By Jeff Singer
Staff Reporter
Nebraska vs. Colorado.
As of late, the maich-up has had
conference as well as national-cham
pionship implications. This year, it
also means bragging rights for one
quarterbacking family.
Nebraska’s Mickey Joseph and
' Colorado’s Vance
Joseph will be
opposing each
other Saturday as
their teams do
battle for sole
possession of first
place in the Big
Eight.
Joseph Vance said a
victory over the
Comhuskcrs this weekend at Folsom
Field in Boulder, Colo., would be a
stepping stone for the Buffaloes.
“We came into this year with one
main goal — to win the Big Eight,”
Vance said. “A win this weekend
would help us accomplish that.”
TheColoradooffensc.lcd by start
ing quarterback Darian Hagan, will
play typical Buffalo football, Vance
said.
“We’re going to slick to our game
plan and not do anything too different
for Nebraska,” Vance said. “As long
as we have ball control and can exe
cute well, we’ll have a good chance
of winning.”
Vance said, though, that it will not
be the big-name offenses that decide
who wins the game.
He referred to the Buffaloes’ 10-0
shutout of Kansas State last weekend
as evidence of the maturing of Colo
rado’s defense.
“The best defense will win the
game,” Vance said. “Our defense has
really come on and has looked really
good.”
Vance said he will be standing on
the opposite sideline from his brother
this weekend for many reasons.
“I chose Colorado because I knew
I’d play here two years after I got here
and also because they win,,r Vance
said. “I decided against Nebraska
because I didn’t want to just follow in
Mickey’s footsteps.”
Vance also said he didn’t want to
come to Lincoln because of Coach
Tom Osborne’s doubts in his ability.
“Coach Osborne questioned my
speed and whether I was fast enough
to play at Nebraska,” Vance said.
“Since Colorado seemed satisfied with
my speed, I decided to go there.”
Both Josephs arc 5-foot-10 backup
See VANCE on 8
WK |j| m «J|; y-V,
^^^^^^^^iloDf^mmarcni/DI
Nebraska quarterback Keithen McCant outruns Oklahoma State’s Clarence Nobles (44) and
Jason Gildon (83) during Nebraska’s 49-15 win over the Cowboys this season. McCant enters
Saturday’s game against Colorado ranked 11th in the NCAA in passing efficiency at 150.2.
•.. —.—.—.. . i
DN file photo
Colorado quarterback Darian Hagan gets pressured by for
mer Cornhusker defensive tackle Ray Valladao in 1989.
Hagan is second in the Big Eight in passing efficiency at
Colorado like any other, McCant says
Total Offense
r.
■
■■■■. -- 11,1 "■ --
By Todd Cooper
Senior Reporter
Nebraska quarterback Keithen
McCant just can’t figure out what all
the commotion is about this week.
McCant, who leads the Big Eight
and is ranked 11th nationally in pass
ing efficiency, enters his first game
against two- year nemesis and defend
ing Big Eight champion Colorado.
And Saturday’s game in Boulder,
Colo., is his first opposite the Buffa
loes’ highly-touted quarterback Dar
ian Hagan.
“But I’m treating it just like any
other game,” McCant said. “I’ll play
this game just like I’ve been playing
the last two games.
“I’ve had thoughts about it. (But)
it won’t affect me much.”
Even though “any other game”
doesn’t have quarterback Darian Hagan
on the opposing side, McCant said he
doesn’t envision a quarterback match
up Saturday.
“There are 11 guys out on the
field,” McCant said. “So I don’t view
it that way.”
But after viewing Big Eight statis
tics, McCant and Hagan have been
similar in their production this year.
McCant and Hagan rank third and
fourth, respectively, in Big Eight to
tal offense.
Hagan is second in the Big Eight
and 15th nationally in passing effi
ciency. McCant is fifth in the confer
ence in rushing, averaging 70 yards a
game, while Hagan is eighth with 45
yards a game. McCant has completed
60 percent of his passes, Hagan 56
percent. Both totaled more than 200
yards total offense against Missouri.
Although Hagan leads in experi
— 44
I’m not sure you can
label Keithen McCant
as inexperienced.
We’ve played some
good people and
we’ve played in some
tough situations. So
I’m pretty confident in
what he’s going to do.
/ think he’s going to
play very well
Osborne
Nebraska coach
-f* -
ence, having started 29 games to
McCant’s six, Osborne said he’s
comfortable with McCant’s poise.
“I’m not sure you can label Kei
then McCant as inexperienced,”
Osborne said. “We’ve played some
good people and we’ve played in
some tough situations. So I’m pretty
confident in what he’s going to do. I
think he’s going to play very well.”
As do McCant’s teammates.
“He knows we have a lot of confi
dence in him,” split end Tyrone Hughes
sai^. “As long as he comes into the
game relaxed and docs what he has
been doing, we’ll come out on top.”
Nebraska has been winning be
cause of McCant’s passing and poise,
Hughes said.
“We know we’re going to have to
pass more,” Hughes said. “But Kei
thcn has come along with the attitude
that as long as he docs what he’s been
doing, we’ll be fine.”
Recently McCant has had outbursts
of 231 yards against Oklahoma Stale
and 144 yards against Missouri. In his
past three games, McCant is 34-for
45 with two interceptions. He’s added
279 yards rushing in his last three
games. Meanwhile, Hagan is 31-for
57 passing, averaging 130yardsinhis
past three games.
McCant said he’ll have no prob
lem staying relaxed in the presence of
Hagan or against Colorado’s defense
— ranked second in the conference
and 11 th in the nation against the
pass.
“It is a big game and I know that,”
McCant said. “I’m always nervous
before until that first initial hit and
then I’m pretty much calm.
“Then, I just try to focus on what I
need to do to keep this team win
ning.”
I
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